The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-29
Total,

OF the bills passed 747 we're in the first
session Of that Congress aud ZOE in the
second session.
OF the bills vetoed, lOl were in the first
session and % in the second. :,
The truth, therefore, is that President
Cleveland approved about two.thirts Of
the bills passed." vetoed" over one.
eighth, and lodged" as to the remainder.
Second. As to the suggestions OF the
statement. Its purpose is to contraa. tho
Grant, Hayes and Arthur pension recordn
with Cleve!and's, to the advantage Of the
latter. Now what are the facts about
those Administrations?
OF the 49S pension bills passed under
the Grant Administration, Grant vetoed
eight. Two because the claimants' names
were then on the psnB;on roll. Another,
because the clause in the set about tho
minor children Of the soldiers had no
meaning. Three were vetoed because the
names OF the c!aimanta were borne on the
army rolls az deserters. Another, because
the name Of the pensioner was not cor.
rectly given. And the last, because the
soldiers company was not correctly stated.
he signed 4s5. This is Grant'o record on
pension vetoes.
What Ia Hsyes's and Arthur'e record
Under Hayes, SOB private pension bills
were passed. He approved them all.
Under Arthur, I3G private penaiou hills
were passed by Congress. He approved
them all.
Cleveland's approyals were but 6GG out
Of $40 passed, and are thus 19G less than
Grants and Hayes combined, and GS less
than Arthur'g, out OF total OF 1853 create.
than the former, and 2lS greater than the
latter.
Tho contrast is what might have been
expected In advance OF investigation,
Grant, Hayes and Arthur were all actual.
ly engaged in the suppression OF the Re.
bellion, and were in full personal sym pa.
thy with the armies OF thu Union. Oleye.
lands record as President is not(out Of
harmony With hia paeaivenees rs citizen
during the struggle.
1t is true, as claimed, that Cleveland
signed the Widows' Increase bill, and
Crippled Soldiers Increase bill. 1t is also
true that he signed the Mexican War
Pension bill, WHICH awards seryice pen.
sion to the Goldievs OF that war. Du. II ia
also true that within ten days thereafter
be vetoed the bill which proposed appli.
cation OF substantially the eame principle
to the soldiers OF tbs army OF the Union.
His friends have the floor 10 align that
extraordinary discrimination against the
Union eoldiery with this extraordinary
pretension OF friendship Tor them.
| Undoubtedly the Pension Office is doing
q great deal OF work. Congress intended
that it should when tho additional agents
and clerks libarally given that Office to
meet the now and increasing denanda
upon it leftita chief without excuee for
delaya. Had the Commissioner OF Pen.
sions been less yigoross in alninistra.
lion, he would have been nimply derelict
in duty. hut that iaNt doea not hide from
tho public the other iaot that while he
haa been granting ,nsny pensions to
Union eoldiera, and widely advertising It,
his own immediate chief and indeed .ha
whole Administration, have been engaged
without advertising it, in making an
iaverage' by proYlulng comfortable and
responsible Department positions for
tfarse numteta Of representative ku.klug
OF lS75!7S.
| This has certain elementa OF fitness in
It. An Administration which was made
by the ku-Klux a possibility in ctr poll
lca could hardly be expected to be indif.
scrent to the aspirations oil tho agents who
chiefly brought i. into being. In this re.
|specs, also, there is a contrast between
Grant and Cleveland. Grant did release
from the pepitentiary .nesr tho close Of
their terms OF Imprisonment some oil
the kn.klrx leaders who proieased re-
pentance and promised obedience 10 law,
! But he did not invite t':era ts share With
him the administration Of the Govern.
ment. That cIowning act Of Indifference
to malignant crimes sgainHt citizsnshir
was reserved iora an Administration which
contains within lts CIRCLES Of Department,
chiefs not one man with the reputation o.
having actively helped bis country in i'll
ihour OF peril, and which now, ludicrously
enough, seeks to pose Cd tho special frieuc
OF the men who enstchcd 1t from the brink
10 which, in zeal for slavery, the Dsmo
cratic party had hurried it.